MARTIN ALLEN prepared for last season's visit to Victoria Park by treading the icy waters of the River Tees after he lost a bet.

The Brentford boss believed the swim acted as a lucky omen in their 2-1 victory - which went a long way to helping preserve their League One status - and promised to repeat the act before his side's FA Cup fourth round replay.

Allen kept to his word and donned his swimming costume once more and swam across the River Skere in sub-zero temperatures on Friday.

Most right-thinking members of the public would probably question the sanity of anyone risking an attempt in such brutal weather conditions.

Nevertheless, the Griffin Park manager must believe the river holds some sort of magical qualities after recording his second successive victory at Victoria Park after taking the plunge.

"It was freezing and I don't think anything could have been colder than what that was," confessed Allen after his 1-0 victory.

The modest Allen preferred not to reflect on his own idiosyncrasies, instead, he handed out the plaudits to his players after their hard fought triumph.

He said: "It was a fantastic performance from our team and we had numerous opportunities to have won the game.

"But I always thought one goal would settle it.

"Both teams, at the beginning of the season, would not have expected to be at this stage of the FA Cup, and it's hard to get the players used to playing in these sort of games.

"It was hard for all the players on the pitch to cope mentally with the pressure of going through to the fifth round.

"But both clubs are terrific clubs and there was a great atmosphere.''

The eccentric Bees' boss says his special relationship with the team is similar to a one shared between a horse and it's jockey.

"You feed the horse, rub the horse, give it some bits and pieces, kick the thing sometimes and you can cuddle it," Allen metaphorically said.

"But if that horse doesn't jump over that hurdle because it doesn't want to do it, it doesn't matter how good a jockey you are.

"But, by God, did my players jump high for me.

"We attacked as a team; defended very well as a team and we limited their opportunities. I suppose to come here and do that, especially as this is a tough place to come, is fantastic.''

Defender John Salako, whose last visit to Victoria Park was as a Crystal Palace winger in the 1993 FA Cup tie that saw Pool triumph, paid tribute to his boss.

"He does things his way and doesn't copy anyone else,'' he said. "He had brought the team up here last season and he swam that stretch of river.

"This time he said when you've got your rivers to cross you've got to swim it and that was the point he was trying to make - saying 'I've swum my river now I want you to go out there and swim yours'.

"This FA Cup tie was our river and we swam it. When we come back up here in the league again I'm sure he will be back in that river. You want personalities in the game and people who do things differently.''

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